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    Home » All Recipes

    The BEST Chicken Cheesesteak with a Twist!

    Published: February 10, 2021Updated: February 20, 2021 · This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking a link, I may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Our Full Disclosure Policy for More Information

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    Recipe Time :20 mins
    Servings: 2 -6" subs

    Recipe Rating

    -6" subs
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    chicken cheesesteak cut in half on a sheet of parchment paper

    I know, every recipe claims to be the best one out there, but in this case I seriously think my claim is accurate! This Chicken Cheesesteak is so good, I don't think I'll eat another cheesesteak made with beef again!

    chicken cheesesteak cut in half on a sheet of parchment paper

    This is one of those recipes that just happened one day. Jeff and I were starving and wanted cheesesteaks. We didn't have any steak thawed, but I had a chicken breast.

    He kind of looked at me funny and, truth be told, neither of us were too excited about lunch. I mean, a chicken cheesesteak? How boring. Give me a REAL cheesesteak please!

    In fact, I'd never ordered nor had a chicken cheesesteak until that very day. They seemed so, blah. I couldn't imagine how it would be very good. But, we do what we have to do and I went on and grabbed a few things out of the fridge and set out to make lunch.

    This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking a link, I may earn a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    As the chicken was cooking, I thought... why not add in some pepperoncinis. If the Mississippi Pot Roast can do it with beef, why can't I do it with chicken? Only, I didn't have any. I did have banana pepper rings, so I used those.

    WOW! The flavors were amazing! AMAZING! So, here you have it... my recipe for Chicken Cheesesteak!

    Find What You Are Looking for Quickly Collapse Table of Contents
    1 What Rolls are Best for a Cheesesteak Sub?
    2 Tips for Thinly Slicing Chicken Breast
    3 Are Banana Peppers Spicy?
    4 How to Make the Chicken Cheesesteak Filling
    5 Assembling the Chicken Cheesesteak
    6 Chicken Cheesesteak Recipe

    What Rolls are Best for a Cheesesteak Sub?

    When it comes to burgers and subs, I think the roll is as important as what you put in it! If you get a roll that is too soft, it will fall apart and, if it's too hard, it's impossible to eat!

    Personally, I like to make my own when I have the time. That way I control the size and can make the bread as soft or as crunchy as I want, depending on what I'm using it for.

    However, more times than not, I find myself picking up sub rolls and have learned to get the kind that feel soft, but are also substantial in size. The kind I used in this recipe are from the bakery at a local store, so there isn't a brand that I can give you.

    I did a quick search on the internet and these rolls by Arnold look similar to what I used. Link: Arnold Sub Roll

    The best way to pick out a great roll is to feel it. If it is soft like a hotdog roll, it's probably going to fall apart. If it is hard like a crusty loaf of French bread, it's going to be hard to eat.

    If you can't already tell, I'm kind of picky about the type of roll and I like to prep it a certain way, too! I slice the roll through the middle, but only about ¾ of the way. I want the roll to serve as my tray of sorts for the filling.

    Then, I carefully open it up and lay it as flat as it will get without breaking and it if it's really bready inside and dense, I hollow it out some. I also spread mayo on each side, but that is a personal preference. I know some people don't like hot mayo and that's fine. You can add some mayo after it's toasted if you like.

    prepping the roll

    Tips for Thinly Slicing Chicken Breast

    When making a chicken cheesesteak, you want VERY thinly sliced chicken breast. Almost so thin that you can see through it. In fact, if you can see through it, that's great!

    slicing chicken for chicken cheesesteaks

    Here are some tips that may help with slicing the chicken.

    • Use a meat slicer. If you have one, these are wonderful to use to get really thin slices.
    • Freeze the chicken breast for about 1 hour before slicing. This makes it much easier to get the super thin strips.
    • Use a SHARP knife. A good quality (sharp) knife is one of the most important tools that you can have. I use the 8" chef knife from Pampered Chef and I LOVE it! I have had super expensive Wusthof and Henkel knives and I prefer the PC one, believe it or not.

    Seasoning the chicken is also important, so after slicing it add some salt and pepper. I only used about ½ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp of pepper.

    seasoning the chicken

    Are Banana Peppers Spicy?

    I don't think so, but I used the mild kind. They come in mild and hot, so pick the style that you will enjoy.

    banana peppers in a jar

    On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the hottest, I would say that the mild are maybe a 1 or 2. Seriously, they aren't spicy at all. The do give the BEST flavor, though!

    I have never had the hot kind, but I can't imagine that they are super hot, either. Unless, of course, they add something to the liquid to make them spicier.

    To give you a comparison, jalapeno peppers are 2,500-8,000 on the scoville scale and banana peppers are 0-500. Pepperchinis are 100-500. These are very mild peppers.

    If you are interested in learning more about the heat ratings of various peppers, here is an article I found by Chili Pepper Madness: The Scoville Scale

    How to Make the Chicken Cheesesteak Filling

    You can use any kind of skillet, the inner pot of the Ninja Foodi or Instant Pot. This recipe would be amazing made on a flat top too! Jeff and I bought a Blackstone Flat Top last year and LOVE it!

    Once you have your onions, peppers, and chicken sliced up, you are ready to go. This goes FAST, so definitely have everything already prepped. That includes the roll!

    I use the little mini sweet peppers that come in a pack, but you can use a bell pepper if you prefer.

    Turn the stove or Ninja Foodi on medium high heat and place 2-3 tsp of oil (I used olive oil) in the skillet or inner pot. Allow the oil to heat up and add the onions and peppers. In the video, I added the onions and browned them slightly and then added the peppers. Either way is fine.

    Season the onions and pepper with a little salt and pepper and sauté just 1-2 minutes or until the onions get a little brown.

    Sauteing the onions and peppers

    Move the peppers and onions to the edge so you have a space for the sliced chicken.

    Preheat your oven or whatever appliance you are going to use to toast the chicken cheesesteak.

    Add the sliced chicken (that has already been seasoned) to the center of the skillet and move it around so as much of the chicken is on the pan as possible. Sauté for about 2 minutes to brown up the chicken a bit and then toss it all together.

    Add in the banana peppers and the juice and sauté about 2 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.

    cooking the chicken

    Grab your roll and let's finish up!

    Assembling the Chicken Cheesesteak

    By now you should have your oven or whatever appliance you are using to toast the cheesesteak preheated. Of course, you don't have to toast the roll if you prefer a softer roll.

    Simply put the cheese on top of the chicken mixture while it's in the skillet and put a lid on it until it melts. Then proceed with assembling your sub.

    Place half of the chicken mixture in the prepped roll (see above) and put two slices of provolone cheese on top. I used smoked provolone, but you can use any cheese that you like.

    Put the sandwich on a tray if you are using the oven and either broil or use the bake function until the cheese is nicely melted. This should take anywhere between 4-8 minutes, depending on your oven.

    If you are using the Ninja Foodi Grill or any airfryer, put it in the basket and Air Fry on the highest setting for about 3-4 minutes.

    Assembling and toasting the chicken cheesesteak

    Allow to cool slightly and then cut it in half.

    Serve & Enjoy!

    chicken cheesesteak cut in half
    chicken cheesesteak cut in half on a sheet of parchment paper

    Chicken Cheesesteak Recipe

    Recipe By: Louise
    Easy & delicious grilled chicken cheesesteak sub
    5 from 3 votes
    Add to My Favorites Saved! Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Total Time 20 mins
    Course Drinks, Lunch, sandwhich
    Cuisine American
    Servings 2 -6" subs
    Calories 500 kcal
    Turn this on when cooking to prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients
     

    • 10-12 ounce chicken breast
    • 2 tsp olive oil
    • ½ Vidalia onion
    • 4 mini sweet peppers or 1 bell pepper
    • 2 Tbsp banana pepper rings hot or mild in a jar
    • 2 Tbsp banana pepper juice from the jar
    • ½ tsp sea salt fine grind
    • ¼-½ tsp pepper
    • 2 6" sub roll
    • 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
    • 4 slices smoked provolone cheese

    Instructions
     

    • To make it easier to slice your chicken, put it on a parchment lined tray and place in the freezer for 1 hour. Slice the chicken in very thin slices. Season the chicken with ¼ tsp salt and â…›-¼ tsp of pepper.
    • Slice the onion and the mini peppers into about ¼" slice. I keep the mini peppers in rounds, but you can cut strips of bell pepper if you prefer.
    • Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and sliced mini peppers. Season with ¼ tsp of salt and ¼ tsp pepper. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes or until you see a little browning.
    • Add in the seasoned chicken slices and spread them over the bottom of the pan so they can get a little browning. I simply move the onions/peppers to the edge of the pan. Sauté over medium high heat for about 2 minutes and toss everything together.
    • Preheat the oven on 450°F/230°C or your air fryer on 400°F/200°F for 5-10 minutes.
    • Add the 2 Tbsp of banana pepper rings and 2 Tbsp of the juice from the jar. Sauté another 2-3 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
    • Split the roll in half about ¾ of the way and open it. Put the mayo on both sides. Place half of the cheesesteak mixture on the sub roll and cover with 2 pieces of provolone cheese. Repeat for second sub roll.
    • Place the assembled subs (on a tray if using the oven) in the oven or air fryer and cook for about 4-8 minutes or until the cheese is melted and beings to brown.
    • Serve & Enjoy!

    Video

    https://youtu.be/uKjEwUl4qYg

    Notes

    Nutritional values are provided as a courtesy and thesaltedpepper.com makes no guarantees of accuracy. We do our best to ensure they are accurate, but many factors influence nutritional values that are beyond our control. Different brands of items have different nutritional values, so it is always best to do your own independent nutritional analysis based on the items you are using in a recipe if you require a high level of accuracy. Thesaltedpepper.com will not be held accountable for any errors in the displayed nutritional information. 

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1-6" subCalories: 500kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 37gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 1161mgPotassium: 636mgFiber: 2gSugar: 9gVitamin A: 134IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 11mg
    Keyword chicken cheesesteak, Mississippi Chicken Cheesesteak
    Course Drinks, Lunch, sandwhich
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    ABOUT THE RECIPE AUTHOR, LOUISE LONG

    Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.

    Picture of Louise.

    She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.

    Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.

    Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and getting the most out of the Ninja Foodi.

    Ninja Foodi 101

    Simply Cooking with Louise

    Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.

    She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information

    I WOULD LOVE TO SEE WHAT YOU ARE COOKING UP IN YOUR KITCHEN! TAG ME @THESALTEDPEPPER ON YOUR FAVORITE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM WHEN YOU MAKE A DISH!

    BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE SALTED PEPPER RIGHT HERE ⇓⇓⇓⇓⇓

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Susan

      May 23, 2021 at 12:16 pm

      Louise, can I ask what cooktop you were using in this video? Our kitchen is being remodeled and I looking for one as we camp out in the basement . Do you recommend it? I recall you mentioning the cooktop in one of your videos.

      Reply
    2. Yewhung Chin

      March 12, 2021 at 1:47 am

      5 stars
      Just made this for the first time... OMG!!!!
      Best ever spaghetti bolognese we’ve ever had in our home! The garlic flavour was spot on, thank you so much for sharing! 😃😃😋😋

      Reply
      • Louise

        March 12, 2021 at 8:34 am

        I'm so glad you enjoyed the spaghetti! The chicken cheesesteaks are great, too!

        Reply
    3. Kathleen

      March 01, 2021 at 10:05 am

      5 stars
      Oh. My. Yumness! Pretty sure yumness isn’t a word but I don’t care, they are that good. They are even good in a tortilla when you run out of buns. I just heated up the tortilla and cheese for 20 seconds in the microwave, spooned the filling, and wrapped it. I did use canned chicken because I didn’t have any breasts thawed. I can’t imagine there being much difference though.

      Thank you, Louise. I appreciate the time, effort, and love you put into every recipe.

      Reply
      • Louise

        March 01, 2021 at 6:09 pm

        I'm so glad you liked it!

        Reply

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